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Comfort Level of Emergency Medical Service Providers in Responding to Weapons of Mass Destruction Events: Impact of Training and Equipment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Michael J. Reilly ,
David Markenson  and
Charles DiMaggio
Michael J. Reilly*
Affiliation:
Assistant Director, Center for Disaster Medicine, Assistant Professor of Public Health Practice, New York Medical College, School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
David Markenson
Affiliation:
Principal Investigator, CDC TIIDE Grant National Association of EMTs, Director, Center for Disaster Medicine, Associate Professor of Public Health and Associate Professor of Pediatrics, New York Medical College and Chief, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Maria Fareri Children's Hospital, New York, New York, USA
Charles DiMaggio
Affiliation:
Assistant Professor of Clinical Epidemiology, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
*
Michael J. Reilly, MPH, NREMT-P New York Medical CollegeSPH Bldg. 3rd FloorValhalla, New York 10595USA E-mail: michael_reilly@nymc.edu
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Abstract

Background:

Numerous studies have suggested that emergency medical services (EMS) providers areill-prepared in the areas of training and equipment for response to events due to weapons of mass destruction(WMD) and other public health emergencies (epidemics, etc.).

Methods:

A nationally representative sample of basic and paramedic EMS providers in the United States wassurveyed to assess whether they had received training in WMD and/or public health emergencies as part of their initial provider training and as continuing medical education within the past 24 months. Providers also were surveyed as to whether their primary EMS agency had the necessary specialty equipment to respond to these specific events.

Results:

More than half of EMS providers had some training in WMD response. Hands-on training was associated with EMS provider comfort in responding to chemical, biological, and/or radiological events and public health emergencies (odds ratio (OR) = 3.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.1, 3.3). Only 18.1% of providers surveyed indicated that their agencies had the necessary equipment to respond to a WMD event. Emergency medical service providers who only received WMD training reported higher comfort levels than those who had equipment, but no training.

Conclusions:

Lack of training and education as well as the lack of necessary equipment to respond to WMD events is associated with decreased comfort among emergency medical services providers in responding to chemical, biological, and/or radiological incidents. Better training and access to appropriate equipment may increase provider comfort in responding to these types of incidents.

Keywords

bioterrorismemergency medical servicesequipmenttrainingweapons of mass destruction
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 22 , Issue 4 , August 2007 , pp. 297 - 303
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2007

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